Pile faced fabric



Nov. 24,. 1959 IF.\D. nouns PILE FACED FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22, 1957 INVENTOR. Fran/12D. Dadds,

Nov. 24, 1959 F. D. moons PILEFACED FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1957 INVENTOR. Frank D. Dodds, I BY 634 z (21 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent PILE FACED FABRIC Frank D. Dodds, Garden City, N.Y., assignor to Artloom Carpet Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 22, 1957, Serial No. 691,559

2 Claims. (Cl. 28-78) This invention relates to pile faced fabric. More specifically, it is concerned with needle tufted pile faced fabric intended for use as carpeting.

The chief aim of my invention is to provide pile faced fabric which can be economically produced from relatively inexpensive material; which is resistive to rapid wear; which is attractive in appearance; which is immune against distortion or crushing; and which, withal, is soft to the tread.

Other objects and attendant advantages Will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section of pile faced fabric embodying my invention in one form.

Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1 showing two alternative embodiments of my invention.

With more specific reference first to Fig. 1 of these illustrations, my improved fabric, as there shown, is produced on an ordinary needle tufting machine and comprises a non-woven foundation layer 1 of felt which may be of animal or other suitable textile fibers, and is penetrated by the pile 2 which may be of cotton, wool, rayon or of other synthetic fibers such as nylon or mixtures of such fibers. For firm anchorage of the pile 2, the foundation layer 1 is coated at the back with latex or other suitable adhesive as conventionally indicated at 3. The pile 2 may be left in the form of loops as at the left of the illustration, or it may be cut for creation of a tuft effect as shown at the right of the illustration. Moreover, the foundation layer 1 may be initially provided, as at 4, with a top facing of sponge fiber to insure a clean surface at the base of the pile and to promote the wearability of the fabric.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated in Fig. '2

the foundation comprises a bottom layer 5 of material woven from yarn 6 of jute and cotton or any other type or types or mixtures of textile fibers, and a superposed layer 1a of felt, the layer 5 being coated at the back with latex, as at 3a, for anchorage of the pile 2a. The felt layer It: may be provided initially with a top facing 4a of vinyl or the like to prevent dirt, Water, and cleaning fluid or powder from seeping into the foundation layers 1a and 5. Preferably, the vinyl 4a will be colored to match or blend with the color or shade of the pile.

In the alternate embodiment of Fig. 3, the felt and woven layers 1b and 5b, respectively of the foundation are reversed in position, i.e., the woven layer 5b is superimposed upon the felt layer llb. Here the felt layer 1b is shown as being coated with latex as at 3b, and the woven layer 5b top surfaced or impregnated initially, as at 4b, with vinyl or the like.

In all three instances, it will be evident that, due to incorporation of felt in the foundation, the fabric will be soft to the tread, will withstand hard usage Without becoming distorted or being easily crushed, and will retain its attractiveness over long protracted periods in service. Moreover, it will be seen, that, by reason of being formed in a needle tufting machine, the fabric can be produced rapidly in quantity at relatively low cost.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. As a new product of manufacture, a pile faced fabric comprising at least one foundation layer of relatively thick felted fibers; rows of pile loops each formed by passage of a thread through the foundation layer and connected one with another at the back of said layer; a coating of latex at the back of the fabric for permanently anchoring the pile; and a plastic protective coating on the top of the foundation through which the pile ends extend to prevent soil penetration, to aid in the anchorage of the pile, to increase the stiffness of said foundation, and to reinforce the fabric against rapid wear.

2. Pile fabric according to claim 1, further including a sheet of woven material plied with the felt sheet in the foundation penetrated by the threads from which the pile is formed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,581 Johnson Apr. 26, 1938 2,303,203 Faris et al Nov. 24, 1942 2,349,236 Bodle May 23, 1944 2,748,446 Mason June 5, 1956 2,755,535 Schoenberger July 24, 1956 2,810,950 Rice Oct. 29, 1957 

